Diversity: Using a Flexible Approach

One style of management does not fit all employees.  To be most effective, you will need to learn flexible approaches to managing diverse employees and their various needs.
 
Flex-Management is a philosophy that includes a deep appreciation of individual differences and the understanding that equality does not mean sameness.  Here are two of the four strategies of the Flex-Management model:
 
1.  Matching People and Jobs
 
Paying attention to what people like to do and what their skills are is key in matching people to jobs that best use their abilities.  This strategy can involve actions such as:

• Designing flexible policies and systems related to work hours, transfers, and promotions.
• Changing job postings, job rotation, job design, and job descriptions to accomplish this strategy.
• Increased focus and training for supervisors on interviewing, recruiting and career coaching. 

Using pre-employment assessments and employee profiles to match individual skills with the requirements of a particular job, then hiring the person best suited to the job will ultimately create greater long-term job satisfaction and lower turnover.
 
2.  Managing and Rewarding Performance
 
Varying approaches to performance coaching, mentoring and feedback as well as using monetary and non-monetary rewards will result in greater employee satisfaction and higher productivity.  This strategy recognizes that:

• People do not work in the same ways and are not motivated by the same methods and incentives.
• It is necessary to consider different approaches to planning work goals, managing the process of work, and rewarding people in meaningful ways. 

Some people are motivated by monetary rewards, while others like recognition, job enrichment or flexible work hours. It is important to design rewards systems that match individual motivators.

Until next time...






Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/